oil in coolant. how to remove after replacing head

Post Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:44 pm

there's a reasonable quantity of oil in my cooling system now and after i get the head swapped on monday i'm still going to have to get it out somehow.

can anyone recommend any really powerful cooling system cleaners or anything?

i don't really want to start cleaning out all of the hoses, heater matrix and rad etc...

Post Wed Jan 26, 2005 11:08 pm

gareth wrote: i don't really want to start cleaning out all of the hoses, heater matrix and rad etc...

Unfortunately there's no other way mate!

Failing that, just pick up a load of spares froma scrappy and switch them over. I was lucky when mine went, I got coolant in the oil but not the other way round. Petrol seemed to shift it quite well.

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 12:12 am

Petrol is my favourite, but at your own risk.
I find that any residual sludge eventually ends up in the header tank, so be prepared to take this off and clean it out every couple of weeks for the next few months. It will destroy the 'O' rings on the radiator cap along the way.

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 12:19 am

I've never encountered such a b!tch of a substance to get rid of tbh

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:23 am

TRAFFIC FILM REMOVER WILL BREAK UP THE OIL RUN A LITRE OF THAT IN THE SYSTEM FOR A HOUR OR SO THEN DRAIN AND REPEAT THE PROCESS WITH PLAIN WATER TO FLUSH OUT THE REMAINING TAFFIC WASH THAT MAY BE LEFT, DRAIN AGAIN AND REFILL WITH YOUR ANTIFREEZE MIX. ITS A LONG PROCESS I KNOW BUT IT DOSE WORK

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:24 am

sorry for the caps lock being on

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 1:35 pm

If that works as well as you say, then as far as I'm concerned, you can post in capitals as often as you like.

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 6:07 pm

i was going to suggest that as well, worked well on an old E28 i had a few years back

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 6:31 pm

I was lucky when mine went, I got coolant in the oil but not the other way round

LUCKY? are you serious? it doesn't take much water in the oil to damage the main and big-end bearings you know. did you check them?

a little oil in the coolant isn't a major issue. if there's enough then the cooling system won't work as efficiently (oil has a lower specific heat than water so can store less energy) but a little won't hurt it.

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 6:34 pm

Toby_Unna wrote:
I was lucky when mine went, I got coolant in the oil but not the other way round
LUCKY? are you serious? it doesn't take much water in the oil to damage the main and big-end bearings you know. did you check them?

As soon as I noticed any traces of "mayo" the car wasnt driven. The bottom end is fine, I've driven it plenty since the head was replaced with no problems. I'm hardly likely to go to the expanse and hassle of dismantling my bottom end just because of a cracked head. It's all new anyway.

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 6:59 pm

NICKE30CAB wrote:TRAFFIC FILM REMOVER WILL BREAK UP THE OIL RUN A LITRE OF THAT IN THE SYSTEM FOR A HOUR OR SO THEN DRAIN AND REPEAT THE PROCESS WITH PLAIN WATER TO FLUSH OUT THE REMAINING TAFFIC WASH THAT MAY BE LEFT, DRAIN AGAIN AND REFILL WITH YOUR ANTIFREEZE MIX. ITS A LONG PROCESS I KNOW BUT IT DOSE WORK

now that's what i like to hear!!! is it likely to damage my engine at all?

regardless, that sounds like it's got to be worth a go!

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:24 pm

no it wont do any damage at all i have been in the motortrade for ten years now and have always used this method.

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:36 pm

will it clean out your coolant system anyways even if the car (touch wood!) does not have head problems?

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:40 pm

Simon13 wrote:will it clean out your coolant system anyways even if the car (touch wood!) does not have head problems?

My motto after too much fiddling: If it ain't broke, don't fix it

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:51 pm

it's just the header tank has skank in it! I'm a bit tight at the mo for money so i thought i might change all the fluids, spark plugs air filter etc until i can afford to get it serviced by proper mechanic! But very true should leave it alone

don't fancy an air lock!

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:52 pm

i agree with e30adam the cooling system can be a right sh#t on these bmws so if its fine at the moment stay well alone

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:53 pm

If you want to clean the header tank then just remove it and bleach it out. I wouldn't bother with trying to clean the system until you have to!

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 8:51 pm

ok i'll give that one a miss!

Post Thu Jan 27, 2005 9:15 pm

Any oil in the coolant will rot the hoses, gum up the heater valve and destroy the 'O' rings on the pressure cap, if left there too long.

Post Fri Jan 28, 2005 12:17 am

why does it damage the hoses and o-rings?

Post Fri Jan 28, 2005 12:34 am

'Cause the hoses, etc are rubber, and oil and rubber don't get on to well together

Post Tue Feb 08, 2005 11:32 pm

well, i can now report back on a sucessful cleanup job!!!

after swapping the head, i flushed about aonther pint of oild out of teh coolant and then refilled with water and a litre of traffic film remover. i left that in for a day and then another flush and refill with TFR... tehn a flush and refill wth wynns coolant flush, then a flush and refill with coolant and water....

end result, the hoses are all squeaky clean on the inside!!!!! not a hint of oil anywhere!!!

cheers guys

Post Wed Feb 09, 2005 12:19 am

good result top job mate. glad its sorted